1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a garbage collection device which extends through an outside wall of a dwelling. More particularly, the present invention relates to a garbage collection device for the reception therein of recyclable garbage.
2. Information Disclosure Statement
The disposal of household garbage has imposed serious environmental problems. Typically, municipal garbage or household waste has been conveyed to landfill sites where such garbage has been permitted to accumulate. After filling such a site, topsoil was spread over the landfill thereby burying the garbage. However, with such landfill disposal of garbage not only is the garbage exposed to the atmosphere until covered in, thereby presenting certain health hazards but more particularly, when such landfill sites have been subsequently used as building land, subsidence and pollution hazards have been experienced.
Furthermore, with the aforementioned system for disposing of garbage many potentially useful materials have been wasted. More particularly, a large percentage of household garbage includes glass bottles which can be recycled for fabrication into various glass containers and the like. Similarly, aluminum cans and the like are able to be recycled for further use.
Much of the household garbage includes paper products which can be recycled after de-linking to produce paper and paper board products.
Although various treatment plants have been built in order to segregate household garbage into the aforementioned categories, such plants are extremely costly to construct. Additionally, such plants involve the use of relatively complex sensing and sorting equipment.
In view of the aforementioned high cost of sorting municipal waste, many authorities have imposed strict requirements and regulations regarding sorting of household garbage at source. Such regulations make the requirement that individual dwellings be provided with individual garbage receptacles and that for example glass bottles be placed in one receptacle, aluminum cans within another, while paper products be deposited within a third receptacle. Additional receptacles are also required for plastic and metal garbage.
The present invention seeks to simplify and facilitate the chore of sorting domestic garbage into the aforementioned categories without the need of leaving the dwelling in order to open the various receptacles to deposit therein the respective types of garbage.
Furthermore, the present invention provides a garbage receptacle which is completely sealed against the egress of odors and the like, and permits the storage of garbage within the respective receptacles for an extended period without any environmental pollution.
Therefore it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a garbage collection device which overcomes the aforementioned problems associated with the prior art proposals and to provide a garbage collection device which makes a considerable contribution to the art of the collection of recyclable garbage.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage receptacle which is disposed externally relative to the outside wall of a dwelling, the receptacle being closed by a cover which defines a chute for the passage therethrough of the garbage. A conduit extends through the outside wall of the dwelling such that when the garbage is inserted into the conduit through the second end thereof the garbage passes through the conduit and the chute which is connected to the first end of the conduit so that the garbage passes into the receptacle.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device which includes a receptacle having a mouth. The mouth sealingly cooperating with the cover such that the garbage passes through the chute and is guided through the mouth into the receptacle.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the receptacle includes a housing which is formed integrally with the cover. The housing defines an unloading opening and a door sealingly cooperates with the opening for permitting selective access to the receptacle for unloading thereof.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the housing includes a first and second channel member for the slidable reception therein of a door so that when the door is closed the first and second edges of the door sealingly engage the housing and when the door is guided by the channels from the closed to the unloading disposition thereof, access to the receptacle is permitted.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which a receptacle also includes a first and second rail rigidly secured to the housing and a hoop slidably supported by the rails such that when the door is closed, the hoop supported by the rails is disposed within the housing. And when the door is opened the hoop is permitted to slide on the rails outwardly through the opening.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which a hoop disposed within the housing defines a peripheral groove. An expandable band cooperates with the groove such that a flexible replacable bag extending through the hoop is folded over the groove. The band clamps the bag against the hoop. The arrangement is such that in use of the device, garbage passes through the chute and through the hoop into the bag. When the receptacle is unloaded, the door is opened and the hoop is moved outwardly through the opening for permitting removal of the garbage contained within the bag.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a hand grip for assisting movement of the hoop outwardly through the opening.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the bag has a capacity which is greater than the capacity of the receptacle. The arrangement is such that in the event of the receptacle becoming overfilled with garbage and garbage being stacked up within the chute, when the door is opened, the bag expands through the opening so that the excess capacity of the bag accomodates the stacked up garbage thereby inhibiting spilling of the garbage outside of the bag.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the housing is champhered in the vicinity of the unloading door such that the replacable bag is permitted to slide unimpeded through the opening.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which a cover means is hingedly secured to the receptacle such that when the cover is in a closed disposition, the cover sealingly cooperates with the receptacle and when the cover is opened and pivoted away from the receptacle, access to the receptacle and garbage therein is permitted.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the cover defines a screened vent so that the garbage within the receptacle is permitted to breath while access to the garbage by insects is inhibited.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the cover also includes a plate which is rigidly secured to the outside wall and externally thereof, with the plate defining a first and second locking rib. The chute defines a first and second wedge member with the wedge members cooperating and engaging the locking ribs such that the chute is removable secured to the outside wall.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the conduit includes a closure disposed within the second end of the conduit for permitting the passage therethrough of the garbage but preventing the back flow of odors from the garbage within the receptacle back through the conduit into the dwelling.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a garbage collection device in which the conduit sealingly cooperates with the plate such that the conduit sealingly cooperates with the chute.
Another object of the present invention is the provision of a plurality of receptacles, covers and conduits each extending through the external wall of a dwelling such that household garbage can be sorted inside the dwelling and placed within a respective conduit from within the dwelling so that the garbage is sorted into separate receptacles for subsequent collection thereof.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art by a consideration of the detailed description contained hereinafter taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings.